dinger

Don't care mate, it's my experience of it I'm talking about, not a testimony in a court of law. It was a roundabout way of saying that 'The Stripes' hold no special place in my heart. Saints always played in a combination of red and white, but striped shirts are synonymous for me with a poor Saints team. That letter was one I sent to F365 in response to colinjb's Save Our Stripes petition on the same site. Sour Mash might have a more accurate memory of the overlap of kit/performance at the turn of the 90s. But no, for the first 6-7 years I went, Saints didn't play in stripes and (as I generally went with my dad, who had no real football allegiance) the issue of our traditional stripes never came up.

As I mentioned, it's possible you can pick slight holes in my timeline. Memory is more important than truth anyway

Absolutely, I'm obviously being a bit tongue in cheek there. But like FC says just above, as supporters we probably have the most affection for what we experienced as kids. For me we play in those 80s kits; anything else (stripes included) is a deviation from the norm. But really Saints could go out in vests and pants for all I care, as long as the players do their best.

This is what I sent to F365. You'll probably be able to pick holes in the timeline, but it's how I feel about it... "...As a Southampton fan who started going down The Dell in the early 80s, I'd like to respond to Colin (join the facebook group, isn't social media wonderful) Brown with an impassioned, "not really that fussed mate". My earliest memories of Saints are of Danny Wallace, Steve Moran, David Armstrong et al playing sumptuous, incisive football in the glorious 'inverse Ajax' Air Florida shirt. The glory years continued with the formidable 85-87 all red number, and then the balls-out 3/4 up front tactics of Shearer, Rod Wallace, Rideout, Le Tiss, all clad in that spectacular homage to the Danish national shirt; half red, half pinstripe (I remember a school friend showing me the picture in the Echo and being driven wild with childish delight and kit-greed). The change to stripes in late 89 came as a complete shock. Nobody had ever told me this was our 'tradition'. Frankly, it was a disappointment. Loads of teams play in stripes. We looked like Sunderland! Or Stoke! And where's the fun in that? And this reversion to the tedious norm coincided almost exactly with Saints descent into mid-lower-table obscurity, and worse. The years of Branfoot, Merrington, Souness. Dull shirts, dull football, no fun. Recently our brilliant anniversary sash shirt has marked (provoked?) a change in fortunes after the steady stripey decline. And the all-red kit has confirmed our right to top flight eminence. These things can't be coincidence. So I say 'no' to the draining, degrading tyranny of stripes and look forward to many more years of inspired tinkering with tradition."

Danny Wallace. I got into football pretty much because of him.

This is about it for me. What's important is that Saints are my local team and I've always supported them. The closest I've ever come to reconsidering that position is when fellow fans were trying to tell me what I ought to think about Rupert Lowe. I had a guy tell me I wasn't a Saints fan because I wouldn't sign his petition. Staff, stadia, sponsors change, only the fans remain. If they start to fall out with each other then there is no club left to speak of. I've had alarm bells ring in my head over the more ruthless business decisions made at the club in recent years. But if that got too much, I'd walk away as a customer rather than cease to be a fan or fall out with other Saints fans.

No doubt if you didn't want to be misinterpreted so as to then get all indignant and self-righteous, you'd have taken the time to explain yourself in the first place, rather than just lauding one of the most hated racists of the age. No doubt you'll pretend that's not what you've done.

I'd take a kazoo. A handful of records would just remind me of all the records I didn't have and how alone I was.

One in his pants, one on his head.

I'm afraid my thouths are too unplaceable, too mercurial. SWF is too rigid a forum for them.

DJ Sprinkles. Beautiful work from a beautiful soul.

Sorry, I say 'in fairness' as if my opinion is the fair one. I mean 'in my opinion'...

In fairness, it's our weakest position in that when Cork was out we were a shambles. No other position left us so exposed, despite the obvious quality of our first choice pairing.

He divides me

I'd also like to thank the OP for this opportunity to make my views known.

When it comes to Cortese I find myself united with the people I agree with and divided from those I don't. I feel no significant division within myself over the issue of Cortese. I'd like to have my feelings on this matter fed back to Mr Cortese and see them reflected in future decision making.

Hello Colin, I was Neil in Winchester. Sorry for the show of disunity.

He's still got the same players though, and they're a poor bunch. But you're right, he might make a little difference to fighting spirit. I'm not sure about bringing discipline though; that was hardly his strongest asset...

He's got a weird old style. A bit like this...

Players complain about tiredness now, but that was a long old season.

You must mean me... 38, from Winchester (barring brief interludes in Edinburgh and Southampton). First home game: vs Birmingham, December 83. 2-1, all own goals I think. First away game: vs Luton, FA Cup 3rd round, January 88. Lost 2-1. Was during the away fans ban and I was smuggled in by my uncle, under instruction to 'keep the noise down'.

A fair point. Can't really see us losing any though.

Wowsers! I wasn't expecting that. I mean, they were pretty awful in the Champs Trophy but the timing of this... For me the only way they're going to get anything out of this Ashes series is if they can keep Michael Clarke fit. And even then they'll need a slice of luck. They haven't really got anyone else who can consistently score runs. Is it too early to say 5-0?